FOR the second year in a row, I found myself agreeing to do the Bupa Great Manchester Run. What was I thinking? Training for it last year was hard enough. I have no willpower and, being a rather lazy person, I found it hard to even go out for a jog at times. Raining outside? I couldn’t possibly. Cold weather? I’ll exercise tomorrow when it’s warmer.
The good thing about the personal training sessions is it’s not like being at boot camp; there’s no shouting if you’re struggling
This time round, I realised I needed something or someone to give me that extra push. That’s where personal training sessions at The Y Club came in. Located in Castlefield, the health club is ridiculously close to my office and my apartment, meaning no excuses. Add a personal trainer to the mix and I was already feeling like this year, I’d be prepared.
Having never been a proper member of a gym before, I was feeling pretty terrified on my first visit. However, the gym itself is friendly and relaxed and for a newcomer like me, it was a relief not to feel out of place.
Membership at The Y Club comes with access to all the facilities, including swimming pool, sauna and steam room, exercise classes, fully equipped cardio and weights room, plus sports clubs and an indoor running track. Membership packages include peak and off peak, corporate, student and annual or rolling contracts.
Rich, the personal trainer I’d be working with, put me at ease straight away. We had six weeks to get me into shape and even though he said he would be pushing me, I didn’t feel too afraid of what lay ahead. The personal trainers are there to offer encouragement and motivation, not to shout at you like you’re at military school.
First was a health and fitness assessment. My blood pressure, BMI and weight were all taken and we discussed nutrition to make sure I was eating a healthy and balanced diet. Then it was into the gym for the first session where Rich had devised a training programme tailored to my needs. The goal was to build up my fitness, strength and stamina.
I was hoping to be eased gently into this gym malarkey. No such luck. I started with a warm up on the rowing machine then moved onto the treadmill to check out my running technique and basic fitness.
Next came the gym equipment and a full body workout. The machines look absolutely terrifying when you’ve never been on them before but Rich explained exactly how to use each machine properly and which muscles they would work. I set about doing reps, and when I struggled towards the end, he encouraged me to finish without sounding like an army general.
Lastly came lunges, kettle bell squats, crunches, free weights and the dreaded plank followed by a warm down. Rich said that it might hurt for a couple of days and he was right; I could barely walk the 100 metres back home. However, the recovery time does get shorter after each session and the feeling of achievement after an hour of hard work makes it worthwhile.
The good thing about the personal training sessions is it’s not like being at boot camp; there’s no shouting if you’re struggling. The programme can be adapted if there’s something you dislike or if there’s something you're good at.
So far, so good. Although I’m not looking forward to a whole hour of kettle bells in week three.
My goal is to beat the 55.07 minutes I completed the run in last year. Check back to see how I get on over the next couple of weeks.
If you would like more information about personal training sessions at the Y Club please contact Rich Brodie by email on richbrodie@yclub.org.uk or by phone on 0161 837 3535.
